No Budget
by Zhong TianHui
Summary: "Not low budget— no budget." He opened his mouth to protest, but Karura cut him before the words could spill out. "I'm only doing this because your idea of low budget is dinner at a five star restaurant." Alright, alright. He took a step back and lifted his hands in surrender. No budget date it is— but that doesn't mean it couldn't be grand. And it didn't mean that it couldn't lead


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Notes: I found inspiration for this in part by listening to "The Last Night of the World" by Miss Saigon (preferably Lea Salonga's version). Also, the really poetic words at the end were from Paz Marquez Benitez' Dead Stars.

Summary: "Not low-budget— no budget." He opened his mouth to protest, but Karura cut him before the words could spill out. "I'm only doing this because your idea of low-budget is dinner at a five-star restaurant." _Alright, alright._ He took a step back and lifted his hands in surrender. No budget date it is— but that doesn't mean it couldn't be grand. And it didn't mean that it couldn't lead to other things.

x.X.x

"Really, Karura? You only mention _now_ that today is your birthday?" He asked with a slight shake of his head— this was apparently information she should have shared earlier on, but didn't…with good reason. "Your birthday and I don't get to buy you anything?"

"I don't need anything more," Karura said with a laugh. No matter how many times she explained to him that she was happy with what she had, he always ignored it in favor of gifts and other trinkets. Yes, they were very flattering— she's never received so much in her entire life: and from a single person at that! "Time with you and this spectacular view is more than enough," she gestured towards the streets of Suna— bustling with life because of the festival held in the autumn equinox, music and lights danced around the whole village. "I would never have gotten up here myself and I certainly wouldn't have known that there was space enough for a picnic on the top."

He laughed at that— like the other few times he laughed, it always brought a smile to her face. She's never seen him laugh or smile much with others. Just the ever-present stern gaze he held for those working under him, or those working with him. Even his superiors get little more than that. Karura smiled because, for some reason, her smiles brought a whole rainbow of emotion she didn't know existed before.

"There is space enough to dance, if you'd like?"

A whole rainbow of surprising ideas as well— she didn't peg him as that type. Karura shook her head very quickly "No way am I dancing up here! Besides, wouldn't that require a whole group? Fan dance, belly dance, any dance— I can't do it by myself."

"I was referring to a slow dance."

Her ignorance reminded her that they were both from two different worlds, inhabiting two different spaces. She probably knew the social dances of his class only as much as he knew what the people danced on the street— next to nothing. Ah, no. He knew about her and about the life she was used to, he's worked with a couple of her friends before. It was really only_ her_ that knew nothing about his world— both that of a shinobi and that of someone who is close with the upper class and the political ring that permeated through most of Suna. But she was wiling to learn. "Show me?"

Slowly he positioned her in front of him and wrapped an arm around her waist. Karura froze at the contact— at the sudden disappearance of the space between them. Perhaps, it was because she believed that to dance properly, one needed a lot of room to maneuver in. But then again, she should be used to this by now. It's not as if he hasn't held her that close and closer still. He held her hand and slowly took a step back, allowing her to follow his lead— the sound of a saxophone playing in the distance was the melody they danced to.

Slowly, she got used to the distance. Slowly, he closed it. Slowly, she smiled at him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

_**So stay with me and hold me tight**_

_**and dance like it's the last night of the world**_

"On the other side of Suna— closer to the center," He whispered to her and Karura glanced towards the place he mentioned. There was a striking difference that can only really be seen from where they stood. More electrical lights gleamed in place of the candles and lanterns that lightened up the streets closer to the walls— like a bright star that faded towards the edge. "I'll take you there one day. You won't believe the things you'll see, the things you'll find there."

"I'm not exactly allowed too close there. Unspoken rule." It was a generally shinobi populated area, or people from the upper class and incredibly rich merchants.

"No, you'll go there and you'll love it. I know— because you'll see it all with me." And like a promise sealed with a kiss, he leaned in until she was only a breath away. Karura smiled— he constantly surprised her with the little things, like asking for permission. She tiptoed and pressed a kiss on his lips, gently wrapping her arms around his neck. He responded by pulling her closer, arms wrapped around her waist. She deepened the kiss, but when she felt a small nip on her lower lip, she immediately pulled back— a deep blush coloring her cheeks.

_Public space! Public space! Public space!_ It wasn't even supposed to last that long, and she hoped to the gods that no one saw the shadow of two lovers on top of the walls of Suna.

Karura put in a little more distance between the two of them, nervously fixing her hair. "But, ah," she whispered, trying to remember the last topic they were discussing. "But the reason why the center is so intriguing is because I have never been there. Perhaps going there would lessen the mystery— mystery is always brief."

He took a small step back, echoing her movements. "Not in some. Not in you."

At that, Karura couldn't help but laugh. "Oh! You've only known me for little more than 9 months— and we've only met up sporadically. Hence the mystery."

He took a graceful step closer, and she felt like the dance wasn't quite over yet. "I could study you all my life and still not find not find it."

She took another step back, her legs a little wobbly. Now unsure of what more she should say. Flustered and suddenly reduced to a little teenage girl, wrestling with feelings she couldn't quite describe. Then again, she was just that. A teenaged girl who didn't know what he meant, how much he meant it— didn't two people require a lot of time to get to know each other before things went this fast? And he always took things a tad bit too fast. "S-So long?" she asked, though she wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

"I should like to."

Karura's heart froze when she saw the shadow of her hand pull into view a small black box from his pocket, and when she heard the disclaimer "It's an heirloom— still no budget."


End file.
